damned_institute | Day 31: Intercom, Evening

Entry tags:

Day 31: Intercom, Evening

The intercom's jingle came on with its usual overly-cheery quality, echoing through the halls and doctors' offices.

"I trust, as always, that you all enjoyed the last shift and that all the staff-patient interaction went smoothly. Of course, we're nearing the end of another day and so we must begin to bring things to a close. Nurses and orderlies, please escort all the patients to their respective rooms and make sure everyone gets their dinner--which is, by the way, chicken teriyaki and assorted tempura, along with rice and miso soup--before they retire for the night. A vegetarian substitute is of course available, and we have our usual assortment of drinks; we also have a special of hot green tea to go along with the meal.

"Thank you, everyone, for an exceedingly pleasant day, and our therapy sessions will continue tomorrow as scheduled. Enjoy your dinner, and I will be on again before bedtime to say goodnight."

The announcement ended.

[ As always, individual dinner threads go in response to this post, and it helps to put your character's room number in the subject line. Thanks! ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Haku reached over and lightly patted his roommate's back. "Sai-san and I were the only ones," he offered. "And he's from the same world I am. Public bathing is nothing new."

It was still slightly strange to think of a place where people all had their own baths.

Artemis felt his face getting even redder. "Y-you saw too...?!"

Now he was certain he was going to die of embarrassment. Of course, he supposed it was only fair. He had taken a quick look at Haku, after all... it was probably only fair.

Still... he saw.

"Those marks all over your back were pretty hard to miss." Honestly, he didn't understand why Artemis was getting so worked up about this...

"Well that's for certain," he said with a sigh. Artemis couldn't help but wonder if Haku was intentionally not on the same page as him, or if they were just experiencing a moment of cultural difference.

He chose cultural difference, for his own sanity's sake.

"I haven't checked to see if they're still there. I made an appointment to get them removed, if they are."

"Good." Haku smiled. "They weren't very flattering and clashed horribly with your skin tone. You would look much better without them." His tone was both serious and teasing.

"Haku!" Artemis moaned. "My face was just returning to a normal shade! At this rate I'm going to pass out from a headrush!"

Haku laughed without malice and leaned over to gently bump his shoulder against Artemis'. He'd seen another person do the same with their friends and figured it applied here as well. "I'm sorry," he said, with a smile that said he was anything but. "I won't tease you about that again."

Artemis was a bit taken aback by the gesture, but started laughing with Haku and did the same motion in return. It seemed like a normal, natural display of affection for a friend.

"Why am I doubting that?" Artemis replied, an eyebrow raised. "I have a feeling you would tease me about anything given the chance."

"I have been called a sadist," Haku pointed out with a grin. The gesture had been well received and reciprocated. Good. That meant he was learning a bit more.

"But I'm an honest one." He pretended to think about that. "Most of the time."

"Most of the time?!" Artemis exclaimed, laughing again. "So now not only do I have to worry about being teased until I faint, I have to wonder whether or not you're being completely honest in your teasings? That's hardly fair, I think."

"No, I'm always honest when I tease," Haku said with a smile. "I was being serious when I said that the marks didn't go well with you."

Artemis blushed again, "This is hardly fair. You're shooting at fish in a barrel here!" He laughed nervously, not sure how to take this compliment, really. "I can't do anything to fight back!"

Haku pretended to preen a bit, running a hand through his hair. "Yes, it is hard to find something to poke at me about." He grinned then and looked over at Artemis.

"But when you do, let me know. I wonder if my cheeks will feel as warm." Haku knew he could blush, had done so n many occasions, but had never known them to be as warm as Artemis seemed to get.

"I have a feeling I'll never find such a legendary thing. The tragedy!" He put the back of his hand to his forehead in mock woe. "But if I do, I will certainly take advantage of it," He said with an evil grin.

"It's only fair," Haku pointed out. He rolled his shoulders and all but flopped back on the bed, looking up at the ceiling. He was thinking now, wondering why he was able to tease and be so causal with Artemis, but not his Master.

The dynamics of the relationships were utterly different, but why?

Artemis looked up at the ceiling. There wasn't anything there, so he figured Haku must be thinking. He did the same thing often enough to recognize it.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked, laying down next to him and looking up at the ceiling with him.

"I am thinking about the differences in my relationships with both you and Zabuza-san," Haku said easily. "Since you are both the only two people still here that I know well enough to care." He turned his head and looked at Artemis.

"I know that there are a lot of different things about the two situations, but why?" He turned back to the ceiling. "It just popped into my mind now."

"That's easy," Artemis said, turning to look at Haku. "You have a working relationship with Momochi-san that isn't necessary with me." At least, that's what he believed. The situation was much like his own, truth be told.

"It isn't necessary to act a certain way around me, right? So you can tease me and tell me anything and it won't affect any sort of working relationship we have."

He smiled encouragingly, "Our relationship is purely friendship, correct? So we act accordingly. Momochi-san is your master, and thus you have to act with a manner of restraint or consideration.

"At least, that's what I think. I'm in much the same situation."

"It not something as simple as a working relationship though," Haku pointed out, then hesitated. "It's ... consiberably more complicated than that." Shaking his head, he turned back to Artemis.

"What is your situation? If I may ask."

"It's nothing complicated," Artemis said with a laugh. "Simply that the Captain and I have a working relationship and that is the extent of it. With you... I don't have to guard myself as closely. Because if I say something inappropriate, you won't punish me for it. Much." He laughed again.

"You are decidedly my friend. The Captain, I'm sorry to say, would probably look at me like I had suggested he drink bleach if I ask to be his friend," He thought for a moment. "Plus, if we were friends, once it came time to work, it would be awkward to transition from joking around and laughing into the mindset necessary to accomplish things."

"Keeping those kinds of relationships separate is a good idea, and one I agree with completly." Haku smiled at his roommate before turning back to the ceiling.

"Zabuza-san is ... No, let me try another approach. I was raised by Zabuza-san. He has been my constant companion since I was very young. I should be close to him, and I am. I'm very close to him." He turned back to Artemis.

"But I feel close to you as well. It's ... somewhat confusing."

Artemis nodded, "He is like your parent, then. Love for a parent and love for a friend are two different things. In some cases, love for a friend outweighs the love for a parental figure, but I've found the opposite to be true most of the time. It's natural to be attached to the person who cares for you and loves you."

He got a slightly funny look on his face and he looked back up at the ceiling. "I'm glad you have Momochi-san here with you. I wish I was as fortunate as you are."

He swallowed, his throat feeling tight.

Haku lifted the broken, scarred eyebrow and leveled a look of disbelief at his friend.

"Zabuza-san is the farthest thing from a parent that one can get." He smiled and turned back to look at the ceiling. He was silen for a moment, then edged over a bit closer to his roommate, the line of his shoulder and arm just barely touching the other's. He couldn't offer bodyheat, but he could offer presense.

"I am glad he is here, since it means I know he's alive. But I would rather he not be trapped at all."

Artemis chuckled. Overprotective man who raised Haku--if that wasn't a parent, Artemis didn't know what was. Of course, his experience had been much the same. And while Artemis couldn't exactly crush people's arms, Butler could--and with great gusto to boot.

"Of course. It would be wonderful not to be trapped but... given the circumstances, it's best to be trapped with the ones you love and care for, right?"

He paused here, collecting his thoughts. "You're very lucky. I'm jealous." He finished with a rather shaky laugh. "Of course, this means that I can get into all sorts of trouble and no one will scold me afterwards!"

No Butler to guard him with his life. No Butler to be exasperated for Artemis' lack of self-preservation instinct. No Butler to tell him that he was the most socially inept teenaged boy in existence. He clenched his jaw and gripped the sheets, refusing to cry.

Haku was sorely out of practice at expressing emotions, but he could read them easily. Without speaking, he reached over and gently took Artemis' hand from where it clung to the blanket and laced his cool fingers with his much warmer ones. A reassuring squeeze.

"You are here with people that care about you."

Re: M47

Re: M47

Re: M47

Re: M47

Re: M47

Re: M47

Re: M47

Re: M47

Re: M47

Re: M47

Re: M47

Re: M47

Re: M47

Re: M47

Re: M47

Re: M47

Re: M47

Re: M47

Re: M47

Re: M47

Re: M47

Re: M47

Re: M47

Re: M47

Re: M47